


Senbonzakura 千本桜

by astragazer



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M, Historical, Historical References, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Inspired by Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (TV), Japanese Culture, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:22:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28906326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astragazer/pseuds/astragazer
Summary: A University girl from modern era Japan found herself waking up in the body of Haruno Sakura one thousand years back in time during the Heian Period, the reign of Emperor Madara-susano during the Tenryaku Era when the powerful Uchiha Clan rule the Imperial land.Unbeknownst to her, she will soon change the future of two of the Imperial Princes.---Naruto Historical AU
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 10
Kudos: 14





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Note: Set in the Japanese Imperial Era during the Heian Period, specifically the Tenryaku Era (947-957) under the reigning Emperor Murakami-tenno. Some of the events are from real occasions that occurred during the said Era, however, most of which are purely fictional. 
> 
> Based loosely on the Korean Historical Series Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo. But if you have not watched the series, you can still read this story (but the series is highly recommended). 
> 
> A Naruto Historical AU.
> 
> Most of the quotes that will be featured in this story are from Nikita Gill and yours truly.
> 
> Enjoy reading!

* * *

_**"senbonzakura"** _

**_千本桜_ **

_**lit. meaning: a thousand cherry blossoms** _

* * *

**Tokyo, Japan**

**Modern Day 2021**

Sometimes she wonders what it would be like to live in the past.

But the thought would be gone as fast as it invaded her mind, concluding to herself that there is no point in dwelling about something that had already occurred and long since gone. The thought that was so fleeting like the transient life of the cherry blossom petals that would fall from the tree with a mere swoosh of the breeze. The cherry blossoms that day were in full bloom. The scenery that reminded her so much of her life as a high school student, young and naïve and so easy to fall for the person she thought would be the one.

She remember as the cherry blossom petals rain down from the trees aligning the sidewalk, decorating the ground in what seem like a sea of pink perianth, she thought it would be a perfect time to confess her love to the person she devoted her heart to ever since she laid her eyes on him. As cliché as it may have seem now, it was such a magical moment then. When he accepted her confession with a smile that made her fall ten times harder than when she first met him during the entrance ceremony. They were a happy couple then, at least for a few years in their relationship. She thought those evanescent felicity would last at least for a short while.

But how foolish was she to think that everything would never change.

And the reason why she sometimes wonders what it would be like to live in the past is to be able to avoid the pain that certain event brought to her, tearing her heart to million tiny fragments like the raindrops that could never be counted.

They say a heart break is as silence as it is deafening. So quiet it was so eerily terrifying and sad how a broken heart could weep without letting out a single sound. And it is almost as though silence is the only way the universe could pay its respect to the sound of a heart falling apart.

“What’s wrong?” her roommate asked her that night when she came back to their dorm, her hair that was dyed in pink like the cherry blossoms down the street was soak and so were her clothes. It was raining, the downpour getting heavier by the minute and it was as though the heavens were weeping the heart that just got broken that night.

“I was right,” she said, her voice low and tired. “He’s cheating on me. I was about to surprise him because it’s our anniversary, but instead I was the one who got surprised when I saw him and that girl together. The audacity of them kissing in public.”

Then the tears started to fall. Half out of heartbreak and the other half out of frustration.

Her roommate walked up to her with a towel in hand as she drapes it across her shoulders while rubbing them in a reassuring way.

“Come on Sakura, why don’t you take a shower. I’ll ready some food and drinks while you’re in bathroom and we could talk all about it, how’s that?”

Sakura nodded, she was afraid if she speak her voice would just crack and she might cry louder. As the lukewarm water from the shower fell down her body, so was the salty liquid falling down her eyes, the sound of the water drowning her howling heart.

After changing into a much comfortable clothes, Sakura found herself sitting on the floor, inside the small living quarter of their dorm, across her was her roommate she had shared a dorm with since last year.

“Now, let’s drink this out!” she said, lifting the glass, her voice loud and Sakura knew she’s trying to cheer her up. And as a friend who is being cheered, Sakura gave her a smile, though the smile is not as wide as the ones she had always mustered before.

As they drink the night away, the liquor actually helped Sakura to fall in a deep slumber, momentarily forgetting everything wrong with her life.

The next morning, as she sat in the boring History lecture, the voice of the Professor slowly got muffled in the background as she looked out the glass window. The cherry blossom trees could be seen from there and she thought how nice of a scenery it could have been had it not for the memory of when she confessed her undying love to him.

Sakura tuned in again just in time when the Professor was going over an important note.

“And as for the final output for this semester, you will be writing a term paper about the Heian Period during the Tenryaku Era, the reign of Emperor Madara-susano.”

A chorus of whine and protest could be heard but the students can really have nothing to do about it. To Sakura, at least the term paper would keep her mind away from the unpleasant memory.

At least she thought so for a while.

But that mid-noon, right after the lecture, just as she was walking back to her dorm, she saw him.

He was alone this time and Sakura felt her heart started to beat faster. But she knew it was not the same as when her heart was beating fast when she was confessing to him.

“Sakura,” he said when he noticed her and walked up to her. “I was actually going to call you. Can we talk?”

“S-Sure,” she couldn’t help the slight stutter when she was reminded of what she saw yesterday. The memory still freshly intact in her mind and the scene inevitably started playing again. “I also wanted to ask you something.”

Sakura told him about what she saw the other day and he waited for her to finish. “I mean, I could be mistaken. Maybe it wasn’t you or something. You know, it’s dark and I really don’t kno—”

“Let’s break up.”

He didn’t even let her finish.

Those words left his mouth like it was so easy for him to end the four years they had been together.

“What?”

“Did I stutter?” he asked. “I said, let’s break up.”

“Was it because of the girl you were with yesterday?”

“So what if it’s because of her? This relationship isn’t even functioning so why bother keeping it?”

He wish he could lie, feed her words that even though she knew were not the truth she’d still believe him. She wished he’d deny it and ask for forgiveness because she would forgive him in a heartbeat.

That’s how foolish of a girl Haruhi Sakura is.

And her foolishness had wreck her to the point that she found herself sitting by the bridge in the public park, in the middle of the noon, a bottle of liquor in hand as she hugged her knees.

“Ah…I really…really shouldn’t have given my whole heart to him,” she muttered, the alcohol registering in her system. “Granny Chiyo in heaven, you were right when you told me I should be careful when giving my heart to a guy.”

She looked up, the sky was clear compared to yesterday and it was as if the heavens were mocking her. Last night it cried together with her, but today it’s as clear as a sunny summer morn. She brought the bottle to her lips and gulped what little liquid remain in the bottle before she put it down next to at least three empty bottles as she took a new one. But when she was about to lift it up, she felt someone was holding the bottle down and Sakura looked to her side to see a man trying to get the liquor.

“Mister, it’s mine,” she said, trying to take it back.

“We could share,” he countered, giving her a smile that showed some of his decaying teeth.

Sakura was silent for a second before she nodded and gave the bottle to the man. “You can take it, mister. I think I’ve had enough drink as much as I’ve had enough of this useless life. Ah, I wish I could just disappear from this world! Or from this lifetime at least.”

The man hissed and Sakura flinched as she looked at him. “Be careful what you say out loud. The heavens are clear today,” he muttered, a tone that carried what sounded like a threatening advice.

Sakura absolutely had no idea what he meant by that as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. But she thought the man had gone mad so she just ignored his words with a shrug.

“But you know mister, wouldn’t it be nice to live in the past?”

The man took a deep breath before he closed the bottle and lie comfortably on his satchel. “Don’t think much about the past that you will lose sight of the present. You are living in the now, not in the yesterday.”

For someone who is homeless, he sure knows a lot, Sakura thought. But she couldn’t possibly disagree. He was right, Sakura remembered the words spoken to her often by her Granny Chiyo.

_It is fine to reminisce the past once in a while, but you must remember that you are living in the present. The past is meant to be remembered, there is nothing else you can do but remember or forget._

Sakura let out a sigh as she rested her chin on her knees. Her emerald eyes shine the brightest on a sunny afternoon and the riven looks refreshing as much as it is tempting to jump. But Sakura shook her head to get rid of such thought.

“There’s no way I’ll be jumping there,” she said as she stood up.

Not five seconds after she said that, she saw a young girl slipped from the edge of the bridge and her eyes widen, a loud gasp escaping her lips as she put her hands to cover her mouth. She looked back at the man from earlier but he is already snoring and deep in his slumber. The people around the park were far and seem busy to the point that they did not notice a girl drowning in the river.

“There’s no way I’ll be jumping there,” she repeated. “There’s no way…I’ll be jumping…ah! Fine!”

She made up her mind, closing her eyes tightly as she run to the edge of the bridge, her action caused a few heads to turn to her and they finally noticed the girl just as Sakura jumped from the bridge and down the cold river.

Come to think of it, her Granny Chiyo always told her she’s a kind young girl who always put others before herself. And maybe that’s why, that moment, she did not hesitate jumping in the river to save the girl.

After making sure the girl is safe and sound, Sakura was about to hold the outstretch hand of the man in the boat but something pulled her back. It was as though an invisible force wrapped its fingers around her ankles, dragging her down, deeper and deeper into oblivion.

The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was the two celestial bodies, the moon and the sun, are visible in the clear sky that day.

And then there was darkness.


	2. 一

**一**

* * *

_**Aim for a love** _

_**that reminds you** _

_**of the devotion** _

_**the sun has to the moon.** _

_**Whether she is in fractions** _

_**or she is whole,** _

_**he still shrouds his intense light** _

_**in the darkness of the night.** _

* * *

**Heian-kyo**

**Present-day Kyoto, Japan**

**Year 960**

* * *

The sun and the moon were visible in the heavens that day. It was as though the rising embers formed a halo around the moon, a dark and burning coal in a dying fire, swallowing the land in obscured darkness for an ephemeral period of time. The galloping horses halted atop the hill, not too far ahead was the Capital, Konoha, where the proud Imperial Palace stood at the heart of the land. The palace that he used to call home, until it all but threw him out like a dog that has gone wild. He watched the Capital from atop the peak, shrouded in darkness momentarily before the light bathed it once more and the horses were galloping again.

He rode a black stallion like death, hurtling down the hill as it left dust in its wake, steam from its noses. His face concealed from condemnatory eyes, the mask he wore to hide his past. And in his eyes held a certain glint, too frightening to even look at yet too mesmerising. A glint that can burn the whole world down to its last cinders.

As they reached the Capital, the galloping horses slowed down, like a man leisurely walking during a peaceful afternoon. But the men who rode the stallions were frightening, although not as frightening as the man who rode in front, as if a wolf that is leading its pack towards the Palace to slaughter everyone. And as the people around the Capital noticed the group of men, they first saw the man wearing the mask as they all hurried to hide, clearing the path and not too long after that the road left no souls ahead, saved from some things that fell from merchants who ran for their lives, too afraid to face him.

He watched with narrowed eyes, how the people cowered in fear before him even before he could unsheathe his sword. He has always debated what to feel whenever he witness the fear he unconsciously instilled in those people who hid at the mere sight of his mask. As his stallion made deliberate steps towards the wooden gates of the palace, he heard the words being spoken, not in fear but simply in curiosity.

"Wolf…dog?"

The fourth Prince, Uchiha Sasuke, is back.

* * *

Words about the fourth Prince's return reached the Hana no Tsuki Palace, a place located south of the Imperial Palace where court ladies reside to attend to the Imperial Families. Most of the Imperial Princes often stay at their relaxation, the Palace provided a sense of comfort and a relaxing smell of flowers that court ladies brought from the garden to scatter around the bath. The water looked temptingly good, there are two separate ponds, one of which has steam rising up the surface while the other is more at a lull with flower petals dispersed about.

It is known throughout the land that the Emperor had united the warring households, different clans fighting each other to get their different ideologies across. But the Emperor is a wise man, and he was able to unite the clans during the first few years of his reign. However, the cost will prove to be greater than anyone could have imagined.

Eight Imperial Princes were born from different wombs, their mothers from different clans. Yet as oddly as it seems, or perhaps not that odd, those Imperial Princes bond with one another like friends, enjoying each other's companies with laughter and stories to tell to one another. They, after all, possess the same blood running through their veins from their father, the Emperor.

Two lower court ladies seem to be bashful at the mere sight of the Imperial Princes bathing in front, although they were told to keep their heads low and inclined, their eyes would dart up once in a while. One of the court ladies poured a drink, her eyes kept on the Imperial Princes as the tea poured down, not on the cup but on the finger of one of the Imperial Princes.

The third Prince, Uchiha Obito.

Second in line to the thrown, a cunning man who can stab his brothers at the back at any given opportunity. His mother came from the powerful Uchiha clan that control the Imperial Court.

When he felt the lukewarm liquid run down his finger, he turned to the court lady. His eyes were narrowed into a glare, lifting his hand ready to slap the girl when he was all but momentarily stopped when a voice called him.

"Ani-ue,"

The voice who spoke belonged to the eight Prince, Uzumaki Naruto. A young and humble Prince who came from the Uzumaki clan. A clan that used to be as powerful as the Uchiha had it not been for the false accusation that caused his mother, the third Empress, to be banished from stepping foot inside the Imperial Palace way back when he was young. It was the third Prince's mother, the second Empress, who made such accusation. But because the third Prince is someone who easily forgives, there is no malice held in that tone when he called his older brother.

The two court ladies noticed the signal the ninth Prince gave them, to get out of sight as they scurry away. The ninth Prince, Inuzuka Kiba. His cunning eyes may not be as terrifying as the third Prince, and perhaps it was because he always stays close by Obito's side that he takes after those scheming eyes.

The third Prince's attention turned to his younger brother who approached him, a slight raise of his eyebrow signified that he is listening to whatever Naruto is about to say.

"I have heard our fourth brother is back. Should he not join us for a bath before the Tsukuyomi ritual?"

A ritual to pay respect to the moon god, Tsukuyomi, which happens every year to mark the start of the Lunar New Year. A time when the pale celestial orb can be seen visibly almost each night, to shine upon the land that worships the embers of the sun's flame. The ritual when the Imperial Princes perform in front of the Emperor, an enactment of how the moon god fought the spirits and drove them far to the land over yonder, never to come back and wreak havoc to the land of the mortal.

"Our fourth brother," Obito muttered, pouring the tea himself before he took the bronze cup. "Since when has he ever done things our way?"

The smirk did not pass unnoticed as Naruto averted his gaze. It was no secret that even among the brothers, the fourth Prince had always been the black sheep.

"Sasuke and I were born in the same year," he said, walking towards the bathing pool. "I should at least take care of him."

"Naruto, are you not being too kind to our fourth brother? He does not seem to enjoy our company so why do you always bother?" Kiba said before he turned back to his older brother that he looked up to. "But then again, our eight brother has always been that kind, right ani-ue?" Kiba looked at his older brother, but Obito's eyes linger longer on the eight Prince. A man who seem too kind for his own good, for some reason he knew a man like Naruto can hold the strongest hatred for he has held the strongest love for his brothers. And he could not wait to witness it all.

The conversation from a while ago was briefly forgotten when two of the Imperial Princes came running towards the bath but despite making a mad dash from the outer bathing pool, they slowly soak down the bath for they know their older brothers are watching them. The inner pool, compared from the other one, was cold yet as they adjusted to the temperature, the two sighed in relief.

Another Imperial Prince came from the stairs up ahead. He was leisurely sleeping earlier when he heard the topic of their conversation and it prompted him to come down as he took his robe and handed it to the court ladies with a reminder to wrinkle it straight.

"Is it not the first time Sasuke is going to join us for the ritual?" he asked languidly bringing back the conversation that was left earlier. "I wonder if the Emperor has a specific reason why he decided to call him back for the ritual when he has not done so in years. But then again, I do not know what is going on inside the Emperor's head."

The thirteenth Prince, Nara Shikamaru. His mother came from the Nara clan that used to be a Royal Household until they all but submitted their powers to the current Imperial family. His statement brought the two Princes to look at their brothers. One is the tenth Prince, Akasuna Sasori, who is considered the youngest among the Imperial Princes. And the fourteenth Prince, Uchiha Shisui.

"Older Brothers, have you heard?" The tenth Prince started, taking his brothers' attention as they all looked at him. "Our fourth brother was said to have massacred his family in Kumo. It was said to be so brutal and people started to compare him to a wolf slaughtering people." The young Imperial Prince proceeds to make a mockery out of it by howling like a wolf.

"You easily believe in such rumours?" Shikamaru asked, shaking his head. "Younger brother, do not believe each words you hear."

"But our visitors from Kumo all said the same thing." Sasori went back to the side, to join the fourteenth Prince.

His words may seem to have come from baseless hearsays but Naruto knew there is a possibility of that happening since he knew their fourth brother more than anyone. He could not help but look down, staring at his reflection down the water. He wonders what he would do if that turned out to be true, but he could not simply believe such hearsays either.

"Sasori, think about it. How can that be true?" Shisui asked, turning to his brother as if to talk some sense out of what he just claimed about their fourth brother. "Kumo possess strong local army. What about the local government? Do you think they would just let him do something like that?"

Sasori was about to speak, he had opened his mouth to retort but Shisui was not quite done.

"Not to mention, Sasuke has never had a master to teach him martial arts in Kumo. So there is no way he knows how to fight, let alone get past the military."

Sasori looked at him for a brief moment before he can finally speak. Sometimes the young ones do not know how a statement may have led until they have spoken it, and the tenth Prince is not much aware of the gravity of what he is about to say.

"Shisui, you and our fourth brother have the same mother, right? There is no telling when you will turn into a wolf like him." Sasori made the mocking wolf howl again and in response so does Shisui.

It is true enough that they have the same mother, but it was not just the fourteenth Prince who possesses the same kind of kinship with the fourth Prince.

A loud slam was suddenly heard, the metal plates clanking as the third Prince put the teacup down quite too harshly as his eyes narrowed into slits. "Shut your mouths!"

He looked at Sasori, he did not bother to hide his displeased expression before he continued. "I am born from the same womb as our fourth brother as well. Then am I not a person?"

Silence engulfed them, the heavy stillness linger in the atmosphere. The second Empress had taken the position of the Emperor's wife soon after the first Empress passed on. She had given birth to four sons, one of which died in battle. The three remaining ones were her only way to make her the Empress mother. However, the third Prince had always made it clear that he has nothing to do with his fourth brother that he loathed for a reason that is yet to be revealed. The silence accompanied by the heavy atmosphere was broken when Naruto spoke.

"Ani-eu, he is only jesting. There is no need to take such pleasantry with bitter words."

Obito averted his gaze from Sasori who let out a breath he did not remember he was holding. He decided to leave the inner pool for a while, until his third brother had calmed down from a provocation that was not aimed at him in the first place. He proceeded to the outer pool and run towards the water, jumping like the young, carefree Imperial Prince that he is. It seems he had already forgotten the way his third brother glared at him as he floated up the surface of the water. Until he all but felt something hit the back of his head.

When Sasori stopped and turn around to see what could it be that he hit, his gaze slowly travelled up.

A young lady stood in the middle of the bathing pool, her hair and dress dripping as she rubbed her eyes to clear her hazy vision before it sought the unfamiliar place. Then as she turned around, her eyes travelled up ahead, towards the half-naked Imperial Princes. It was then she realised –

"Sakura, you're so dead."

* * *

.

.

.

.

.

**A/n: Ani-ue* (honoured older brother)**

**Characters introduced in Chapter 1:**

_Haruhi/Haruno Sakura_

_Third Prince: Uchiha Obito_

_Fourth Prince: Uchiha Sasuke_

_Eight Prince: Uzumaki Naruto_

_Ninth Prince: Inuzuka Kiba_

_Tenth Prince: Akasuna Sasori_

_Thirteenth Prince: Nara Shikamaru_

_Fourteenth Prince: Uchiha Shisui_

**Characters to be introduced soon:**

_Crown Prince: -_

_Eight Prince's younger sister/second Princess: -_

_Eight Prince's wife: -_

_Second Empress: -_

_Third Empress: -_

**Author's Note:**

> Note: I hope you find this story interesting enough to leave a kudos and a comment!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
